Bio

Matthew Mitchell was born in Hamilton on August 9, 1973. He started to study Jazz late, beginning on guitar at the age of 17. Four years later he attended what became the Massey University Wellington School of Music majoring in Jazz. In 1998 he became a member of the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra and toured with ex-'Buddy Rich' trumpeter John Hoffman.

He first achieved prominence in the New Zealand Jazz scene first in 1999 winning the Wellington Fringe Festival Music Award. In that same year his study on Indian Classical music began to produce cohesive results and he toured New Zealand firstly with Master Tabla drummer Dr. Tarlochan Singh from Delhi, then with New York Vibraphonist Arthur Lipner and finally his own trio featuring Paul Dyne (Sonny Stitt, Steve Lacy) and Rick Cranson. At that time he also released two CDs of his own compositions funded by the New Zealand Arts Council, the big band work 'Continental Drift' in 1999 and at the beginning of 2000 'Riding On The Back Of The Cosmic Tortoise'.

In 2000 he moved to London an began to continue work with his trio, now featuring Larry Bartley (Gary Bartz, Courtney Pine) on bass. He rapidly came to prominence in the London jazz scene and became a part of Byron Wallen’s 'As Is' project touring the UK and performing at a number of International Festivals.

He went on to also perform with German Saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and tour extensively, Japanese electronic music artists Takagi Masakatsu and Ogorusu Norihide and also New Zealand electronics artist Signer. More recently he has begun tour regularly throughout Europe with his own groups and to release recordings in both in May of this year 'Biathanatos' was released on Leo Records and is to be followed by a number of further releases both on Leo and on other labels.